The Secret Route
| season = Robotech: The New Generation | number = 71 | image = Secret_1.jpg | airdate = 10 June, 1985 | comic = Robotech: The New Generation 11: The Secret Route Robotech: Invasion Part One Robotech: Invasion Part 5 (Partial) | writer = Steve Kramer | director = Robert V. Barron | previous = Enter Marlene | next = The Fortress}} "The Secret Route" is the 11th episode of Robotech: The New Generation. Summary Faced with treacherous mountains, Scott's band heads into town to find a safe route. But they are soon caught up in a deadly deception. Synopsis After beating back the Invid, Scott and crew attempt to cross a treacherous mountain range but find their path blocked by an avalanche. Since the planes are too small to carry all the equipment and passengers, they drive to a nearby village in the hope they can get information about an alternate route. The news isn't good. They are warned of an Invid fortress in the mountains. Alien scouts patrol the area to keep humans from crossing over to the desert. A map to a secret passage is available, but it costs more than the freedom fighter scan afford. Lance Belmont is not concerned with money. He assures the group they can quickly increase their fortunes. Disguised as Yellow Dancer, Lancer meets with the village mayor, Donald Maxwell, to set up a rock concert. The mayor's home is opulent and unusual. The cavernous living quarters host a small fleet of antique planes, Maxwell's most prized possessions -- except, perhaps, for the lovely girl at the piano, Carla Morales. They recognize each other immediately, ad Lancer recalls a time three years ago when he was trapped in the middle of an Invid raid. Even the townspeople were helping the aliens to hunt down freedom fighters. Lancer's rebellious ways were to well known for the youth to avoid capture. It was Carla who had the inspiration to disguise Lancer as a woman in order to escape.Thus the identity of Yellow Dancer was created. The years have not diminished Lancer's feelings for Carla -- or hers for him -- but he knows there is no point in renewing their relationship while the Invid are still at large. When Lancer rejoins his friends, it's to say farewell to the departing Annie. The fickle youngster has found herself another family. They are heading across the secret route to a new home. She provides her old friends with a copy of the map they have just purchased, but Lancer sense something amiss and visits Carla again. She becomes evasive when asked about Donald's business. Ultimately, she relinquishes her knowledge: "That's Donald's business. He sells fake maps that lead people to their doom." Lancer remarks, "And no one else knows because no one comes back." Racing to find Annie and her new family, they discover them already under attack from Invid scouts. They defeat the aliens only to face another danger: Donald Maxwell himself. Maxwell aims artillery at them, but Rand is able to get the drop on him. In order to save himself, he hands over a copy of the real map, showing the correct route in case he ever needed a getaway plan. Carla vows to join Lancer and the team, and Maxwell realizes he's lost his most precious possession. As the crew attempts to head to the secret path, Maxwell creates a diversion for them using the antique mecha. As it turns out, he is willing to sacrifice his second most prized possessions to ensure Carla's safety. With that, Carla realizes that despite his faults, she is meant to be with Maxwell, and returns to him. Briefly, Lancer watches her go, then continues on his way over the pass. Background information "The Secret Route" was based on the original Japanese episode of Genesis Climber MOSPEADA entitled "Tōi Kibō no Rarabai" (Meaning "Lullaby of Distant Hope" in English) that was aired 11 December, 1983 in Japan. Cast * Greg Snegoff as Scott Bernard * Frank Catalano as Rand * Susie London as Rook Bartley * Emilie Colleen de Azevedo Brown as Annie LaBelle * Cam Clarke as Lance Belmont * Richard Epcar as Lunk * Melanie MacQueen as Ariel * J. Jay Smith as the Narrator Songs *"Look Up (The Sky is Falling)" *"It Don't Get Any Better" *"Lonely Soldier Boy" Behind the scenes The flashbacks in the episode were animated for Robotech: Love Live Alive. The comic Robotech: Firewalkers 1: Firewalkers features an erroneous account of Lancer's and Carla's meeting. External links * * 11 71